Main and lateral connection and method of forming same



Jan. 31, 1933. c. E. VAN HECKE 1,895,327

MAIN AND LATERAL CONNECTION AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME 1930 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 25

Jan. 31, 1933.

C. E. VAN HECKE M IN AND LATERAL CONNECTION AND METHOD OF FORMING sAMEFiled Jan. 25, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 31; 1933; c VAN HECKE1,895,827

MAIN AND LATERAL CONNECTION AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed Jan. 25,1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 49 47 J0 he. 5-

1/ 7 1 I J; 2; W 24 27 E-r-Tra fi l" 2L 1a '25 24 I 23 2 l wi/meoo 4Vmflecka I I f l v m WWO Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES:

CHARLES EVAN HECKE, on STEVENS POINT, WISCONSIN NAIN AND LATERALCONNECTION AND mn'rnon or FOREIlZNG p i Application filed January 25,1930. Serial No. 423,496.

The invention relates primarily to connection of laterals with water,gas or other mains without the necessity ofcutting ofi the fluid flow inany main with which a lateralis to be connected, but the invention'is ofcourse useable also ifthe flow be discontinued while the connection isbeing made. 7

With the aid of .a known main-tapping machine, it is now possible toequip mains with plugged, projecting nipples with which tocon'nectlaterals, but cast-iron mains of present day manufacture, notably those;formedby the centrifugal casting method,

are so thin-walled that a reliable threaded with a projecting nipple andeffectively reinforcing the nipple-carrying portion of themain againstbreakage, the structural'fe'a tures and method steps'being such that thel plug remains in the nipple until the connection is complete. A saddleis permanently yoked to the'main and is provided with a 'bellwhich'receives the main-carried projecting nipple, a service vided with aspigot end receivable in thebell and engageable with the nipple, and acalked joint is formed in said bell aroun'dsaid spigot end of theconductor, thereby providing 'a' resides in the. novel ,subjectmatterhereinafter described and claimed, descriptionbeing, supplemented by theaccompanying drawings. r 59 Fig.lisatransverse vertical sectional viewmain-engaging saddle and one of its clamp 'ing yokes being SllOWIl'lllelevation.

connection cannot beformed between the nipmethod'and means forconnecting a lateral cook or other lateral fluid conductor is pro-.

through a main and a' plugged nipple projecting therefrom." r t 1 Fig. 2is atop plan view showing the saddle initially clamped-on the-mainaround the pipple,the latter being illustratedin dotted mes. i 7

Fig. 3 is'a vertical transverse sectional view" through the main online33 of Fig. 2, the

Fig. 4 is a view similarto Fig.3,-but showmg the saddle of the clampingyoke leaded r and its tightening screw removed. 1

Fig.5 is a view similar to Fig.4 but show-' ing the clamping yokecontracted toifinal position' and illustrating the clamp byimeans ofWhichsaid yoke is contracted. V 7

Fig; 6* is a horizontal sectionalfview on line 66 ofFig. 5' showing theservice cock' connected with the main-carried saddle and:- illustratingthe-special tool in the acttof loosening the nipple plug. I I r Fig.7'is a perspective view of. one of the yokesaddles.-. 1 m

t Fig. 8 is a perspective-view of one of the yokelinks. :j r A ii IFigi'9is a perspective view of one ofythe U-shaped yoke straps'. g

F ig; 10 is a'perspective view illustrating a plurality of'theyokeecontractingrockers in 9 tegrally' joinedwitheach other inbar form.Theyokekeys hereinafter describedsmay be similarly formed if desired. 1The preferred'construction has beenillus trated and whilesuch'construction willibe herein specifically explained, it is tobefiunderstood that within'the scope oflthe 'invc'n- 1 I tionas'claimed, variations may be made. fi

.11 has reference toamain'and12 denotes a nipple threaded into saidmainand projecting laterally therefrom, said nipple being threaded also atitsouter. end. Within: the

nipple, is a plug .13 which includes an elas-f tic'cylindrical body 14preferably of rubber. --Disks 15 and. 16 contact with opposite ends ofthis body andvare;providedlwithw I central openings,' a bolt 17;passesthrough' these openings,being slidable in thelopen ng 18 of thedisk 16, and a nut 19 is threaded on.sai d .bolt in; contact With the.-disk 9 [The bolt'is provided with an exposed threaded end projectingbeyond the nut 19 and distinguishing it from the conventionalplumberslplug in which the free end of a much longer boltis usuallybentlaterally and provided witha head. The plug 13 is expanded "bytightening of the nut 19,,such tightening serving to longitudinallydeform thereof into tight contact with'the wall of flang'e or mainsaddle 21 is provided to contact withthe main 11, said saddle A barhavinganopening 22 to receive the nipple V '12-and being providedwitha-groove-h'eld qpacking-ring 23 around the opening, said' ringbeingformediof lead or other, desired compressible material. The saddle21 is pro: a

vided withan integral hub or b61124: with which thew'opening 22communicates, so that 3,: when said; saddle is applied to the main 11,V- r 25' received within'and, spaced from said-rbellir Y The saddle 21is permanently securedto the thethreaded outer end of the nipp1e 12 is f,main' in a novel: way hereinafter described,

andafter such anchorage; a spigot end 25 of a service-cock 26 or otherlateralfluid conductor, is inserted intothe bell 24, said spigot endbeing. provided with internal screw threads 27' which are engaged withthe threads of the nipple 12 "by rotating the'cock or'the like 26. Thishavingvbeen d0-ne,1a

" c'alked joint-28 is formed in the bell 24, around thespigot end 25,providing a tight tenaciousconnection between the service cock said part26 and the' nipple 12'.

or the like 26 and the saddle'21rand'between To. removethe-plug 13 fromthe1 nipp1e,I

" I pr'ovidefaspecialtool insertiblethrough the port offthe usual, plug2910f theYcock 26,

when "saidfplug is turned 7' to open'position.

. The tool is illustrated in Fig. 6 and from: this view,flit will be:seen' that the tool-embodies?- atube 30' having'a nut socket-31atitsinner V V a I end, and a'rod 32' within said tube and havs inga threadedsocket 33, the sockets 31 and 33 being disposed at the same end ofthe001..

At its otherend,-the tube 30 may be provided with any desired means, forwrench engage ment', for instance with openings34 foren' v Vgagementwith a spanner wrench. Similarv 11y,the outerend of the rod 32may be provided r w-ithany adequate means for facilitatingrotation ofsaid rod, an opening 35 being shown through it"ffor the purpose'ofreceiving a spike orfth'e like; 7 The tool is inserted' through" theopen. plug 29,- rod' 32* is rotated to en age its socket 33 with theremoval stud combs 111:8 20 of the plug 13,tube 30 ismoved to'engage itss0cket=31with the enut'19 ofthe plug-13, and said tube is rotated to.loosen the nutand thus eiie'ctcontraction of the steps followed insecuring them,; are fiden plug. 'Then, plug'and tool are bodilywithn I idrawn through the service cock or the like 26. this operation be;performed while I the mam 11 contains pressure, a stufling box (notshown) will be temporarily connected with the outer end of the servicecock or the like 26 and the plug will be withdrawn into I the stuflingbox. The plug 29 ofjthe cock I is then closed and'the stuffing box andplug I are removed; Now, a' pipeline may be conin any desired manner.This cock shown. as provided with abell 36 for a calked joint,

but it may be flanged or otherwise construct: i ed" for connection withthe lateralpipe line.

The m'eansiforv permanently yoking' or clamping the saddle21 on-the main11, will now be described. ]This saddle, it will be' observed,isprovided with two end portions or seats 37- which projectlongitudinal1y"oi.

the main 11 from the inner end of the bell 24. Two yoke structures 38embrace these tical, a specific description with only one, will suflice.

Yoke 38 embodies an elongated a, in: connection saddle portions 37 i andthei main 11 andaasl the constructions ,of both yokes and the ada e"having a central seat portion 1O and bif'ur-V 1 cated ends 41 projecting,i'n oppositedirections from said seat portion,rthe-furcations ofsaidends 41, being formed with trans-"V verse seats or grooves42.Athrust' scr'ew,

43 isthreaded centrally through theportion 40 of the saddle 39, and is,adapted fo'r e'n- .0. gagement with the portion 37 cfthe main;v i

engaging saddle 2'1", which lportionmay bej 7 provided with a shallow*recess" 4AI '(Eig.- 6,) a to receive the inner end at saidscrew; AZUe Y105 and has its ends connected;withithe endsjof" a shapedstirrupextends' around ,the' main 11,

the saddle 39, jsaidfistirrup preferably c011 sisting of a Us shapedstrap'f15'and two dupli catelinks 46 connected with the ends offsaidstrap. These ends. ofjstrape 45fiarepreferablyprovidedwithlaterallyispaced hooks 47 between whichthe innerends of the links V 46 are received, said inner linl' 'ends ,'having;

slots 49 through which; e s so pass; said:

keys beingengaged with the hooks 4 7; 'Thej rockers 52 pass These linkends are received between the furcations of thesaddle 39, and

the rockers 52 rest in'the groovesor seats 1-2,

' other ends iof' the links" 46 are provided -with' substantiallyovateslots 51 throughalwhich the rockers and the saddle seynormny having the.angular relation with, each other,":

shown in-Fig. 3-. With' theparts in this reh lation, the thrust screw 43is forciblytight 7 ened,-.thereby causing coinpressionof the ringorgasket 23.andnmovingthesaddle21into or a V substantiallyintocontactwithfthe nain 11. Y In view ofthe fact that the screw 43 -exertsaninward force uponthe saddle 2,1 t and an 1 j outward force uponthe-saddle 39, aspace is nectedwith'the' service cock or the like 26 imacaw caused between said saddle 39 and the portion 37 of the saddle 21.With the use of 38, the force being so great that not only is shrinkageof the filler 52 (incident to cool ing) compensated for, but said fillerslightly compressed. Hence, the saddle 21 is secured upon the main 11 inan unusually tight and tenacious manner. )Vhen the links 46 have beenmoved inwardly to the maximum 7 by the clamp 53, the rockers 52 lieagainst the outer walls of their receiving slots 51 and they are thenslightly past dead center positions, so that the longitudinal strain onthe links 46 will tendto hold said rockers in operative position,instead of permitting possible outward or releasing tilt-thereof,

After it has performed its function, the clamp 53 is removed. Should itbe desired, pins or wedges 53 may be inserted in the slots 51to hold therockers 52 against any possibility of being tilted back to the positionof Fig. 4. While this provision may be used if desired, it is notessential if the rockers 51 be moved sufliciently beyond dead center, bythe clamp 53. a

The tightenin leading, and final contracting above described inCOIlIlGCtlOIl w th one of the yokes 38 are of. course carried out alsoupon the other yoke.

When using the specific apparatus herein disclosed, the method stepsincident to connecting a lateral with a plugged nipple 12 in a main 11are as follows. The saddle 21 with its gasket 23 normally protrudingbeyond its inner facefis positioned upon the main 11 by passing theopening 22 over the projecting nipple 12, the outer end of the latterbeing received in the bell 24. The two yokes 38 are then assembled andare forcibly tightened by means of the thrust screws 43.

' 46 and by operation of said clamp, tilting of the rockers 52 iseffected, thereby causing final and tight contraction of the yokes 38.

Now, the service cook 26, or rather the spigot end '25 thereof, isinserted into the bell '24 and said cock is rotatedto thread said spigotend upon the outer end of the nipple 12. This having been done, thecalked joint 28 is formed. Now, with the-plug 29 open, the

. dual tool 30-32 is inserted through the service cook 26, Rod 32 isrotated to engage its 'lation.

20 of the plug 13, tube 30 is turned untilg its socket 31 will receivethe nnt19, and said tube is then rotated to loosenithe nut andcausecontraction of. the plug, 13. The" tooland 2 Val;-

socket 33 .with. the threaded stud or. the: like.

the plug are then bodily withdrawn through the service cook 26 and thevalve 29 is closed.

If these operations be carried on while the main 11, contains pressure,the;plugf;14 .is withdrawn into a stuflingbox temporarily connected withthe outerxend of the service cock 26,. and this .stufiing box is.removed after closing the plug 29.. Now, the branch line maybeconnectedwith the servicelcock, at

tention, being again invited to .the; fact that V although'the outerendof :this cock is shown I provided with a'hub or be11' 36,"itcould,we1l

be, equipped .with any other desired .means for attaching the linethereto.

The device afi'ords what, would [commonly be termed a rigid connection[which is the same principle as the lateral on apipe vT or othersolidbranchconnection. It enables the installation of a straight-awaylateral line. .It is not practicalto providearigid connection on the:'common" and prevalent types of corporation-stops, not so much be} causeof danger ofbreaking theinain asbecause of danger and almost certaintyof breaking the corporation-stop itself. Hence, lead goose necksarecommonly employed in a connection with the corporation-stops to giveflexibility to the connections for saidstops 1 will not standarigidlateral strain. They.

are of rather frail construction and arel not braced and hencethe-connection itself is the commonly weak pointin a service lineinstal- Due to my invention however, all

eflectively overcome,

together with all likelihoodof leakage.

. Under the most rigid tests, the details of J structure and the methodstepshereinfdisclosed, have proveneflicient and advantageous from allviewpoints. .Hence,the present disclosure is to be considered'aspreferred,

with the understanding however, that within the scope of the inventionas claimed, variaf tions may be made I @1a,im=-- 1. A method ofreinforcedly and rigidly connecting a lateral fluid conductor having aninternallythreaded spigot end with a main having a previously attachedexternally threaded lateral nipple {comprising the steps of shifting abell-equipped saddle inwardly;

along the previously attached nipple and disouter end of said nipple,then securing the into said bell and rotating said conductor tointerengage the threads ofthe conductor and I nipple, and forming acalked jointin said

